Popcorn-crisp machine.



W. M. BROWNJ POPGORN CRISP MACHINE;

APPLIGATION IILED JULYal, 1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

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W.` M. BROWN. POPGORN CRISP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,'1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

W/TNESSES.'

COLUMBIA PLANDGRMH co.. WASMINUTQN, n. cA

WALTER M. BROWN, or DAYTON, oHIo.

rorcoRfNscnIsr ivrAcHINis..`

, Application mea my s1, 1912. serial Nol 712,440.

To all whom, 25 may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER M. B RowN, j 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented a new .and useful Improvement in Popcorn-Crisp Machines, of which the following is a speclica- .f

tion.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements 1n popcorn crisp machines.

hand-operated devices.

A further object of my invention is toi provide mechanism whereby, after the crisps have been formed' in the molds, they may be easily and effectually ejected therefrom and the machine quickly made ready for another molding operation. v With the above and other incidental ob jects in view, the invention consists'of the arrangement and construction of parts described in the following specification and specifically pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my popcorn crisp machine. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. And Fig. 3 is a section of the machine taken on the line a-a of Fig. 1.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

In a detailed description of my invention, 1 designates a table which comprises legs 2,

`horizontal members 3 and 4, and supporting plates 5. The supporting plates 5 are mounted upon the members 4, and have longitudinal grooves y formed in their inner edges to receive the tongues 6 of a surface plate 7. The surface plate 7 is rectangular in form, and its length is considerably less than that of the table l in order that it may be moved thereon for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Normally positioned im'mediatel` the surface plate 7 is a series of mol s 8 cast in a metallic plate 9. These molds are open at both ends, and are preferably circular in cross-section. Formed in the bottom of the metallic plate 9 are two longitudinal 'grooves into which ft guides 10 formed by theupwardly projecting edges of the support-ing above speeication offrettersratgit. Y

; plates" 5:;V The metallic y plate 19 may therefore be .moved on4 the guides 10 thej" full lengthof the table 1. u

l.Bolteoltothe table 1, and extending above" 'the metallic plate 9, are standards 11 suitably'cast from metal to support on their upper portions bearings 12 and 13 in horizon-V tal alinement with each other. These standards 11 -have` curved leg portions'14 kwhich s traddle the `metallicl plate 9 so that the lat- The object of the invention is to provide a machine for molding popcorn, which may z be drivenby any of the common types ofl prime movers, thereby obviating the eX- pense and difficulties involved in the use of ter may .have a free longitudinal movement. Journaled in the bearing 12 is a shaft 15 upon which is loosely mounted a gear 16. The right hand hub portion 17 of the gear 16 is recessed for engagement with a clutch member 18 splined ton the shaft 15. The .clutch member 18 is provided with an annular groove 19 adapted to receive a roller carried by each of the forked ends of an arm 20 fast on a rock shaft 21. The rock shaft 21 is journaled in a bracket 22 supported on a tie bar 23 which connects and is supported by two vertically movable plates 24 to be hereinafter described. Mounted on the outer end of the rock shaft 21 is a handle 24a by means of which the clutch memberI 18 may be thrown into and out of engage- Patented Nov. 25,1913.

ment with thehub portion 17 of the gear 16.

The `gear 16 meshes `with a gear 25 fast on a shaft 26 journaled in the bearing 13 supported by the standards 11, said shaft being in horizontal `alinement with the shaft 15. Also carried by the shaft 26 is a pulley 27 fast thereon, an idle or loose pulley 27 a and a fly wheel 28, the pulleys 27 and 27a being adapted to receive a belt driven by any suitable pri-me mover (not shown). When connected with Va prime mover, the pulley 27 will rotate the shaft 26, gear 25 and gear 16, and through them the shaft r15 when the handle 24a is moved to theright 'tobring the clutch member 18into engagement with the hub portioni17 of the gear 16. I

Carried by each end of the shaft 15 is an eccentric cam 29v which turns in a circular bore provided` in a brassV box 30.l Carriedby the middle inneryportions of each'of'the standards 11, are two parallel guides 31 between which a longitudinal slide 32,1`carried.

by Aeach of the vertically movable plates 24, is movable. The yplates 24 are connected at their lowerends-'to a head 33'; Depending from the head 83 is a plate 34 carrying a series voflplungers V'35, one for each of the molds` 8. Thelplun'gers 8.5 are so positioned with reference to the molds 8 that they may y contain. The plate 34 has an upwardly pro- 'have av sliding vertical movement therein to compress the plastic material lwhich they jecting edge 36 which is recessed.j to receive a beveled edge 37 of the head The other parallel edge of the plate,34carries set" plate 34 is thus firmly held to the head 33,

during their ascending movement.

and by loosening the s'et screws 38, it may be 1removedtherefrom to. permit the plunl gers 35 to bethoroughly cleaned. i

., .The plates 24 towhich the head se is Connected, have elongated openings '40 for straddling the shaft 15.` Connected to the upper portion of each of the plates-24, and lying on-each side of the shaft 15, are transverse guide bars 41, within each set of which a cam box is movable. Therefore, when the cams 29 are rotated, the boxes 30 which inclose the same may have a free, lateral movement within the guides 41, and engage them to impart a vertical movement to the plates 24. These plates 24, which support the head 33, are guided in their vertical movement by the slides 32 carried thereby, moving between the guides 31 on the standards 11. Through the mechanism just described the cams 29, when descending, will imparta downward movement to the head 33, thereby forcing the plungers 35 into the molds 8 to compress the plasticv material therein, after which the plungers will be elevated above the molds by the cams 29 When the plungers 35 reach their normal position above the molds 8, the handle 24a is thrown to the left to disengage the clutch member 18 4and hub port-ion 17 of the gear 16. The plungers 35 will now remain stationary for the following operation of the machine.

After the plungers 35 assume their normal f position above the molds 8, the latter may be raised to bring the compressed material or crisps within them into contact with the said plungers. The pressure of the plungers lon the 'crisps as the molds continue their upward movement, will force the crisps out of .the molds and permit them to drop below.

As the' molds are raised, the surface plate 7 is moved longitudinally so as to be out of the way ofthe falling crisps. Adapted to engage the '.metallic plate 9 containing the molds 8 and move it upward, are plungers 42 .which arevertically movable within suitableguides supported by the table 1. The actuating mechanism for the plungers 42 will be hereinafter described.

In order that the` crisps may not stick to the bottom of the surface plate 7 when the molds 8 kare raised, the said surface plate 7 Vis first moved longitudinally', and when a certain point in its movement is reached the molds 8willpbe raised,-and from that time on themovement of the molds 8 and the surface plate 7 will be simultaneous. The above operation is accomplished by the following mechanism: Journaled in suitable bearings Vsupported on each of the side members 3 of table 1, is a rock shaft 43 upon which Aare mounted arms 44, the free ends of which being connected by offset links 45 to the surface plate 7, to move the salne longitudinally. VFor the purpose of rocking the shaft 43, a lever 46 is mounted on one end thereof. Mounted on Vthe side members 3, on each side of the rock shaft 43, are blocks 47 and 48 to which are pivoted toggle links 50. The toggle links 50 are pivotally connected at their free ends to toggle links 51 which are in turn pivotally connected to the plungers 42. At their point of connection with each other, the toggle links 50 and 51 are connected by links 52. Carried by each of the links 52 is a lug 53. The lugs 53 are adapted to be engaged by arms 54 mounted on the shaft 43 to impart longitudinal movement to the links 52 to cause the toggle links 50 and 51 to straighten and raise the plungers 42, which in turn elevate the metallic plate 9 in which the molds 8 are cast.

When the lever 46 is moved to the right, the arms 44 are elevated by the shaft 43, and by means of the links 45, impart longitudinal movement to the surface plate 7. As the lever 46 is further moved, the arms 54, which are also elevated by the shaft 43, come in contact with the lugs 53 and move them and t-he links 52v by which they are carried. This movement of the links 52 causes the toggle links 50 and 51 to straighten, with the result that the plungers 42 are moved upwardly into engagement with the metallic plate 9. This upward movement is then imparted to the said plate 9, and the compressed material or crisps within the molds 8 are brought in contact with the plungers 35. As this upward movement of the molds 8 continues, the crisps are forced out of the molds by the plungers 35. In the meantime the surface plate 7 has been moved out of the way of the falling crisps by the links 45, and they drop into a receptacle 55 mounted immediately below them on the table 1.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The metallic plate 9 is placed on the table 1 and the molds 8 filled with plastic popcorn. The plate 9 is then moved on the guides 10 to a position immediately under the plungers 35, so that the latter may readily enter their respective molds, the surface plate 7 forming a bottom for said molds. The handle 24 is then moved to the right to connect the power shaft 26 with the shaft 15 by meansof the clutch and gears hereinbefore described. The cams 29 are then rotated by the shaft 15 to impart a downward movement to the plates 24 which in turn force the plungers 35 into engagement with the plast-ic popcorn within the molds, to comtudinally and elevate the molds 8 to bring.

the compressed material or crisps within them into contact with the plungers 35. As the upward movement of the molds continues, the pressure exerted on the crisps by the plungers 35, forces them out of the molds and they drop into the receptacle 55 below.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular embodiments of the invention herein shown and described, and any changes or modifications may be made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a pop corn crisp machine, a plurality of vertically movable molds, a longitudinally movable surface plate forming a bottom for said molds and co-acting therewith to support the plastic material to be compressed, a series of plungers vertically movable within the molds for compressing said material, power-driven means for forcing said plungers into the molds to compress the plastic material and elevating said plungers above the molds after said materialis compressed, and levercontrolled mechal nism for shifting the surface plate kto uncover the bottom portions of the molds after the plungers are in their raised position, and means actuated by said lever-controlled mechanism for elevating the molds to bring the compressed material which they contain into engagement with the plungers, after said surface plate is irst slightly shifted by the lever-controlled mechanism to loosen the compressed material therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In a popcorn crisp machine, a plurality of vertically movable molds, a longitudinally movable surface plate forming a bottom for said molds and co-acting therewith to receive the plastic material to be compressed, a series of plungers vertically movable within the molds for compressing said material, power-driven means for forcing said plungers into the molds to compress the plastic material, and elevating them above the molds after said material is compressed, lever-controlled mechanism for shifting the surface plate to uncover the molds after the plungers are in their raised position, vertically movable plungers for elevating said molds and toggle-link mechanism for raising said plungers, said togglelink mechanism adapted to be engaged by the lever-controlled mechanism, after the surface plate is first slightly shifted thereby, to raise the vertically movable plungers, whereby the molds are elevated to bring the plastic material or crisps within them in contact with the first mentioned plungers, by which said Crisps are forced out of the molds as their upward movement continues, substantially as described.

3. In a popcorn crisp machine, a plurality of longitudinally and vertically movable molds, a longitudinally movable surface plate forming a bottom for said molds and co-acting therewith to receive the plastic popcorn to be compressed, a series of plungers vertically movable within the molds for compressing said plastic popcorn, powerdriven means for forcing said plungers into the molds to compress said popcorn, and elevating them above the molds after said popcorn is compressed, a shaft, a lever for `rocking said shaft, arms mounted on said shaft, links connecting said arms and surface plate for shifting the latter to uncover the bottom portions of the molds after the plungers are in their raised positions, vertically movable plungers for raising said molds, toggle-links for elevating said plungers, links connecting said toggle-links, a lug on each of said connecting links, and

arms mounted on said shaft for engaging i said lugs, whereby, when the lever after first slightly shifting said surface plate to loosen the crisps therefrom has reached the point in its travel where the last mentioned arms engage the lugs, a further movement of said lever will cause the toggle-links to straighten, with the result that the molds will be elevated to bring the compressed popcorn or crisps within them into contact with the first mentioned plungers, by which said crisps are forced out of the molds as the upward movement of the latter continues, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand this 29th day of July, 1912.

WALTER M. BROWN.

Witnesses:

BYRON B. HABLAN, HOWARD S. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

